An American GI in Tokyo
by sweetteasus
Summary: Set during the Allied Occupation of Japan. Kiku is trying to make a living at a hostess club during the postwar era with his brothers when he meets Alfred Jones, a hotshot US soldier. Alfred/Kiku, Ivan/Yao.
1. Chilly Night

Okay, this came to me as I was driving the other day. Its set during postwar Japan where Kiku, Yong Soo, and Yao are cross-dressing as hostesses at a GI club in order to support themselves. **This is not historically accurate. I am not trying to offend. I actually have no clue where this is going.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.**

Pairing(s): Alfred/Kiku; Ivan/Yao.

Wan is Taiwan, Mai-anh is Viet-chan, and Sunan is Thailand's female name. Please expect some OOC on Ivan's part.

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"Oi, Kiku, hurry up! We're gonna be late for our shift if you don't hurry up!" Yong Soo yelled into the bedroom of the dingy apartment before slipping on a pair of blue pumps.

"Honestly, he takes so long…you'd think he's a fucking geisha or something…" Yong Soo muttered to Yao, who was busy checking the state of his make-up in the small mirror in the "living room."

"I wouldn't complain about Kiku taking so long, aru. You take just as long, aru." Yao said, applying a bit of red lipstick. Yong Soo merely ignored the comment and continued struggle with his shoes. After a few minutes, Yong Soo had finally gotten his shoes on and Yao's make-up was precariously applied and Kiku still wasn't out of the bedroom.

"I'll go check on him, aru. He's probably trying to fix his hair, aru." Yao said before heading back into the small room the brothers shared.

"Hey, Kiku? What's keeping you? Shift starts in an hour and you know how the boss gets if we're late." Yao said as he entered the room. There was Kiku, seated at the small vanity, desperately trying to fix his hair into something presentable.

"Aiya, Kiku, lets go. Don't want to keep them waiting, aru." Kiku looked up at Yao, his large brown eyes rimmed with blue eyeshadow.

"Yao, my hair looks awful." He said simply. Yao sighed and picked up a small gold flowered comb and stuck it in Kiku's ebony hair.

"You look pretty, now let's go before we get our pay docked, aru." Kiku sighed and got up from the vanity before slipping into a pair of black heels. He glanced in the mirror, checking his appearance one final time (and frowning at the state of his hair) before following Yao out the room.

"Well its about time! Jeez Kiku, what the hell were you doing in there?" Yong Soo said angrily, getting off the sofa.

"I'm sorry, I was trying to make myself look more presentable..." Kiku said, heading towards the door.

"Is this about that guy from the other night? All he said was that you should let your hair grow out a bit. He was an idiot, Kiku, don't worry about it." Yong Soo said, following Kiku and Yao out the door and onto the street. Kiku shivered slightly, he really should've grabbed a coat.

"Aiya, it's chilly tonight, aru. I'm begininng to wish I had worn sleeves." Yao said.

"Heh, don't worry. Where we're going, we're not gonna need jackets." Yong Soo said, leading the way down to to the cabaret where they were employed.

"Perhaps Yong S—I mean _Soo-chan_ is looking for someone to keep _her_ warm tonight, aru?" Yao teased, causing Yong Soo to blush.

"Be quiet, _Yao-chan_, not all of us have someone to provide warmth." Yong Soo shot back but Yao merely giggled. Ivan was a member of one of the few Soviet troops stationed in Japan and he had recently started frequenting the cabaret where the brothers worked. Everytime he came, he always requested Yao; Yao was all too happy to spend the evening drinking and chatting with the Soviet and the Soviet was all too happy to shower attention as well as gifts on Yao. The other night, Ivan had gifted Yao a pair of beautiful red haircombs. In fact, Yao was wearing them with his short red and gold cheongsam, another gift that Ivan had given him.

"And what of it, aru. I can't help it that Ivan-chan enjoys my company, aru." Yao said dreamily. Kiku smiled, it was nice to see his brother happy again.

"I'm glad Ivan-san enjoys spending time with you, Yao. I wish I could find someone like that…." Kiku said. Yong Soo, who had been leading the way, stopped suddenly and turned to face Kiku and Yao with a mischevious grin.

"Look at you two, you sound like a couple of lovestruck village girls. Why tie yourself to one when you can have many?" It was no secret that Yong Soo was one of the more popular "girls" at the cabaret, he generally amassed a nice group of GIs to entertain.

"Yong Soo, not all of us are so lucky to be as popular as you." Kiku said quietly but Yong Soo just continued on. With his short brown hair with the blue ribbon and his cheerful grin and lively disposition, Yong Soo never failed to catch the attention of the GIs. In fact, both Yao and Yong Soo were pretty popular with Allies. Yao was the picture of Asian beauty–long flowing hair, a sweet face, and light build. It was no wonder why Ivan preferred to stay around Yao.

"Aiya, Kiku, you forget about Asa-san. He's been requesting a lot, lately, aru." Kiku blushed slightly. He didn't want to admit it to his brothers, but Arthur was more of a friend than a companion. He found that he and the Englishman had a lot in common and it was nice to have someone to talk about these interests with.

"Yeah Kiku! What about Arthur?"

"A-asa-san is only a friend…he has someone back home." Kiku said finally.

"So? As does Eduard and Francis but that doesn't stop them from, ah, _requesting_ me." Yong Soo said coyishly as they turned down the alley next to their club. Kiku shook his head, most of the GIs preferred to "look, not touch" seeing as the majority of them had women back home, but occaisionally there was a single one (like Ivan) or ones that simply did not care (like Edouard and Francis). Naturally, Yong Soo attracted the non-single ones.

Finally, the trio arrived at the employee entrance at their club and entered, making sure to sign in first. It was only five-thirty, most of the club's clientele would not arrive until sometime after six o'clock. Until then, they were expected to prepare the club, freshen up, practice any songs, and just make themselves ready for the GIs.

The club was rather small compared to most of the others in the Yoshiwara district but it had a loyal clientele. There were only six hostesses: the three brothers, two girls named Wan and Mai-anh, and then another "girl" named Sunan; the club was run by a man by the name of Kin and Wan doubled as the bartender. It was rather garishly decorated, with a jukebox in the corner and neon signs. The bar was of finely polished wood and even when no one was in there, it always seemed smokey. The exterior was common for the district, a small building with the name of the club emblazoned in neon lights and another sign that simply said "gaikoku no gaijin nomi" to let civilians know they were not allowed inside.

They began making preparations such as cleaning as well as stocking the bar, setting up the jukebox, and just trying to keep themselves occupied until the patrons arrived. Seeing that it was Friday, they probably wouldn't have long to wait. Sure enough, at six o'clock on the dot, the first wave of people entered the club.

"There's Ivan-chan," Yao whispered breathlessly to Kiku, pointing to a tall, blonde man flanked by two other people: a shorter, nervous looking boy and then a man of medium height, "and he brought friends, aru! Come on Kiku, let's go meet them, aru. Maybe one of them will take a liking to you, aru." Kiku allowed himself to be led over to where the Soviet was standing, taking pleasure in seeing Ivan's face light up when Yao got closer.

"Ivan-chan!" Yao called out, raising his voice a few octaves. "Its so good to see you, aru!" It wasn't possible for his grin to be any wider.

"Yao-chan," Ivan began in his rough, accented English, "you look beautiful. I'm glad to see that you're wearing the gifts I got you, da." Yao positively glowed.

"It is a gift from my dear Ivan-chan, of course, aru." Yao said sweetly, flipping his hair. "Aiya, who are your friends, aru?"

"Ah, this is Toris and Raivis, they are members of my unit, da." The aforementioned men awkwardly bowed, both of them murmuring polite hellos. Kiku and Yao bowed deeply in return in greeting.

"Hello boys, I'm Yao and this is my sister, Kiku, aru." He said, motioning to Kiku. Kiku gave a shy smile to which Toris returned.

"Pleased to meet you both." Toris replied, not taking his eyes off Kiku. Yao smiled before turning his attention back to Ivan.

"The pleasure is ours, Toris-san." Kiku said, also raising the pitch of his voice. He was about to offer to grab some bottles of sake when he noticed Arthur enter through the door. Politely, he excused himself, making sure to present Toris with his business card before heading over to where the Englishmen sat at the bar.

"Ah, Kiku. As always, it's a pleasure to see you. You look beautiful." Arthur greeted before pulling out the stool next to him.

"_Domo_, Asa-san. You always have such kind words for me…" Kiku said as settled into the seat. Arthur smiled before ordering a couple of bottles of sake that were promptly delivered. As expected, Kiku poured a generous amount into Arthur's ochoko before allowing the Brit to do the same. Arthur set the bottle down before lifting his cup to toast Kiku's.

"Cheers, Kiku." There was a small clink of the cups and Kiku sipped the warm sake as Arthur did the same.

"Well, what shall we talk about tonight, Kiku? Arthur asked before taking another sip.

"Whatever Asa-san wishes to talk about." Kiku replied.

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Yoshiwara is the name of a red-light district in Tokyo. Gaikoku gaijin nomi=Foreign Military Personnel Only.


	2. Asa san

**Thank you all so much for the reviews/favs/alerts! I'm glad to see people are enjoying this : ). **

**As always, I don't own Hetalia.**

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"…and that's why they called me das meer geissel. I probably sunk more U-boats than then Drake did of the Spanish Armada!" Arthur had gone through about three full bottles of sake and was well on his way into a fourth while Kiku was still on his first cup; there was a strict rule at the club that hostesses were forbidden to have more than two cups of alcohol so as to not interfere with their duties. Kiku preferred not drink at all during a shift, no matter how many times Arthur insisted on filling his cup. Kiku knew Arthur wouldn't want to drink alone and if he wanted to earn his additional commission, he was going to have to get Arthur to drink, even if it meant wetting his lips. He picked up the cup and placed it against his lips, pantomiming the act of taking a sip before setting the cup down and fluttering his eyelashes at Arthur.

"Oh, Asa-san, your stories are always so interesting…please, tell me more…" Kiku asked in a coy, high-pitched voice. Arthur's faced flushed a bright red, to which Kiku wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or something else.

"Now, Kiku, you don't want to hear me blather away the night." Arthur mumbled sheepishly before ordering another bottle of sake.

"Listening to Asa-san speak is a very enjoyable way to spend an evening." Kiku protested, filling up Arthur's cup with the remaining dregs of the fourth bottle. Arthur leered before grabbing Kiku's wrist and pressing a light kiss to his hand.

"I think I could think of a much more enjoyable way to spend an evening that _doesn't_ involve talking…" Kiku felt his face grow hot at Arthur's comment; quickly, he glanced around to make sure no one else had heard Arthur's remark and saw that Yao was looking straight at him, elegant eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Asa-san should not say such things…" Kiku stammered as Arthur dropped his hand and placed it on Kiku's knee.

"Then you shouldn't leave yourself open like that," Arthur said, slowly inching his hand up Kiku's leg, "someone might try and take advantage. And then I would be very upset."

"And why would Asa-san be upset?"

"Because I wanted to be the first to take advantage." Kiku tensed up, Arthur had never been this forward with him before and he had never invaded his personal space like this, with the exception of kissing him on the hand or on the cheek. Of course, Arthur had never gone through four whole bottles of rather high-end sake before either, so perhaps that played a part.

"Asa-san, please do not talk like that…" Arthur's hand was still steadily creeping up his leg and Kiku knew that if he went any higher, Arthur would definitely feel something that was not supposed to be there. Quickly, he placed his right hand over Arthur's in order to halt his movements. Arthur pouted before picking up his hand and rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin.

"Aw, don't be so prudish, Kiku. Live a little." Kiku swallowed hard, Arthur had definitely had too much to drink.

"I'm not being prudish, Asa-san, I'm being cautious." Arthur rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, a slight smile evident on his lips.

"All you girls are the same. Never want to put out but all too happy to string us along with the promise of a shag that'll never happen." Kiku smiled, now Arthur was beginning to sound like his old self.

"And you soldiers are all the same as well, Asa-san. Only looking for one thing, even when you have someone waiting for you." Arthur chuckled at this.

"Oh, my dear sweet, naïve Kiku. How little you know about me."

"Perhaps if Asa-san would tell some more of his stories instead of making silly passes, I might know a bit more." Arthur gave a hearty laugh before kissing Kiku's hand again.

"Alright Kiku, you win. Here, let me put another bottle of sake on your tab and then I'll tell about my time in Africa." Arthur said before motioning to Wan to bring him another bottle.

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It was sometime after three in the morning when their shift ended and all the boys had headed back to their respective bases and Yao, Yong Soo, and Kiku were slowly making their way back to their apartment in the chilly October air.

"Ivan managed to get a pass for this weekend, so he wants to take me out, aru." Yao was saying as they headed home. Yong Soo rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"So you're going on those date things now. Tch, where's he taking you?" Yao smiled as he shrugged his shoulders.

"He mentioned something about a club that was near the base, aru. Said a lot of his men go there on the weekend, aru." Yong Soo set his face in a dreamy smile and sighed in mocking.

"Oh, it sounds positively romantic…"

"Be quiet, aru! I don't see them taking you out!" Yong Soo gave Yao a lecherous grin at that statement.

"We don't have to go out to have a good time." Kiku didn't find it too hard to ignore his brothers' bickering because the only thing his mind could focus on was Arthur and how he had acted towards him. It was not uncommon for the men to put an offer on the table, whether or not that offer was accepted was up to the discretion of the girls. Kin had made it clear that the club property could not be used and any money or gifts involved should be accepted up front. But it was _Asa-san_, Kiku thought, the one who would never hesitate to purchase an expensive drink just so Kiku could get his commission or tell him a story of his summers spent by the sea. He had been under the impression that Arthur saw him as a friend, as someone with whom he could pleasurably pass the time but now that belief had been distorted. Kiku gave a soft sigh, he really did enjoy the Englishman's company and if they were to become _intimate_ there would be a few obstacles in their way, mainly the lack of a vital piece of equipment. He really didn't know how Yong Soo managed to pull it off without getting caught and he was always amazed at Yong Soo's success. Amazed as well as envious, for Kiku knew that as soon as he attempted to pull it off, it would probably backfire spectacularly. And most likely violently. A small part of Kiku thought he was over thinking this, because prior to tonight, Arthur had never really shown any inclination of wanting anything more than pleasant conversation and a willing audience. It had to have been the alcohol.

"Oi, Kiku, you want to join us in the real world for a bit?" Yong Soo was poking him in the arm, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry, I had something on my mind…" Kiku apologized to which both Yong Soo and Yao waved off.

"Its alright. We just have one question, aru." He nodded to indicate that they could ask and instantly regretted it when he saw their mischievous grins.

"So," Yong Soo began, draping an arm across his shoulders, "what were you and _Asa-san_ discussing this evening?" Curse Yao, Kiku thought as he felt his trademarked blush creeping up his neck, he should've known he would say something to Yong Soo.

"He was telling me about his time in Northern Africa, if it's any of your business." Kiku said, partially telling the truth, only to earn of a snort of disbelief from both brothers.

"Northern Africa, hm? Is that their new slang now, aru?" Yao giggled as he flipped his hair.

"Come off it, Kiku. Yao saw the good Captain getting nice and cozy with you. I understand he had his hand on a very delicate spot. Thought he already had someone back home?" Yong Soo teased as Kiku shook his head.

"No, that isn't the case. Asa-san had a lot to drink tonight…"

"Oh! Liquid courage, I see!" Kiku groaned, this had to have been the most difficult walk home with the exception of their very first night. He buried his face in his hands, desperately trying to think of a way to change the subject; glancing up quickly, he noticed that Yao was carrying a small jeweler's box in his hand.

"Oh, Yao, what is that you're carrying? Another gift from Ivan-san?" Yao smiled sweetly at the mention of Ivan. He carefully opened the box and pulled out a small ruby brooch. It was edged in scalloped gold and the ruby was a deep blood red, it definitely seemed like something Ivan would give.

"He saw it yesterday and said that it reminded him of me, aru…" He delicately traced the edging, thinking about how Ivan had set the open box in his hands, giving him such a shy smile and saying how he hoped that Yao would accept this small gift on behalf of him and the Red Army.

"It's beautiful, Yao. Ivan-san is quite gifted with…gifts." Yao blushed at that, carefully setting the brooch back in the box.

"True! Every time he sees you, he always has something for you!" Yong Soo added as they finally arrived at the complex. It was true, at least twice a week, whenever Ivan came to the club he would have some kind of trinket or gift to give to Yao and whenever he gave it to him, he always ended with "on behalf of the Red Army and myself." Considering that Ivan was a lieutenant colonel, that part was the truth.

"Well, I can't help it that Ivan-chan is very generous, aru!" Yao said as he opened the door to the apartment, turning on the lights as they entered after removing their shoes.

"Hm, Ivan-san is only generous because he wants something and soon you'll end up like poor Kiku, getting your leg felt up." Yong Soo said before dissolving into a fit of giggles. Kiku sighed, he really had hoped they had dropped it, but knowing Yong Soo, who could never let anything go, knew that wasn't going to happen. Kiku knew he could expect about a good week and a half of teasing from the younger boy and that was only if nothing embarrassing happened to him for the rest of the week. Shaking his head, he headed back to the bedroom to ready himself for bed.

Bedtime was a ritual that the brothers looked forward to each night. It allowed them to remove the dresses and the make-up of their public personas of women and allowed them to be men again, if only for the night. All make-up would be removed, hair decorations stored in the vanity, and dresses hung up neatly in the closet. After everything was put away and pajamas were on, they crawled into the shared futon in birth order: Yao on the left end, Kiku in the middle, and Yong Soo on the right side. Depending on how long the shift had been, they would either talk for a bit about their clients (which was against club rules but it wasn't like Kin could hear them) or reminisce about their youth in the village, but most nights they would fall asleep quickly. Tonight, Kiku was hoping it would be a "fall asleep quickly" night. He was not in the mood for anymore of Yong Soo teasing.

He was right in one aspect, it was a fall asleep quickly night but not for him. Yong Soo dozed off first and Yao soon followed him, smiling slightly at what probably was the start of a pleasant Ivan-themed dream. Kiku was not so lucky: Arthur's words and actions from earlier in the evening were looping through his mind, making for a night of uneasy sleep. He hoped that tomorrow wouldn't bring any awkwardness for him or Arthur.

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**This chapter was kind of heavy on the Arthur/Kiku, but I guarantee you, it does server a purpose ;).**

**"das meer geissel"=the sea scourge.**

**To answer one of the reviewer's questions: no, the boys don't know that Kiku, Yong Soo, and Yao are guys. Everyone, with the exception of a few (who you'll probably find out later) think them to be women. **

**As usual, keep reading and reviewing!**


	3. Puppy love, perhaps?

**First, thanks again to everyone who's keeping up with this story! :D Sorry if this chapter seems kind of...rushed. **

**Again, I don't own Hetalia.**

**Please keep reading and reviewing!**

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Major Alfred F. Jones, USAF flying ace, awoke that morning with only one thing on his mind: breakfast. He stretched out his arms and took in a deep breath while simultaneously catching a whiff of his body odor and blanching at the smell. Scratch that: shower _then_ breakfast. He hopped out of his bed, grabbed his supplies and headed down to the showers to wash up before the rest of his unit awoke. Saturdays and Sundays were always peaceful affairs at Yokota Air Base, which Alfred enjoyed for the most part. Sure, things were slower and he didn't have to be up at the sound of "Reveille" nor did he have mountains of paperwork to fill out, but sometimes it was kind of dull.

Alfred shut off the water before wrapping himself in the thin, government-issued towel and headed over to the sink in order to shave the stubble that was creeping in. He inspected the razor, noting that it looked like it was close to needing to be replaced; Alfred shaved carefully, making sure to get as close as possible without nicking himself. Facial hair was all well and good, but he liked the feeling of a smooth face. After shaving came brushing his teeth and making sure his hair looked presentable before heading back to get dressed. Finally, Alfred deemed himself presentable enough to get breakfast from the mess hall. Breakfast was a simple, relaxed affair even if the food was rather questionable. Following breakfast, Alfred decided that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to finish up some of the paperwork he had neglected on Friday, seeing how the day was looking kind of empty, before making his rounds. Sighing, he left the mess hall and headed across the courtyard to where his office was to get started on the paperwork.

The day actually went by pretty quick and before Alfred realized it, it was already approaching three-thirty and he had managed to finish Friday's work as well as get a start on Monday _and_ Tuesday's. He stretched back in his chair, smiling in relief, and decided to catch up with his friend, Corporal Matthew Williams, who was no doubt finishing up some paperwork of his own. He hopped out of his chair and bounded out of his office, quickly making his way to the medical wing of the base.

"Hey, Mattie! Are you in here?" He called rather loudly outside of Matthew's office before pushing open the door. He smiled when he saw Matthew hunched over his desk, no doubt filling out his millionth penicillin prescription of the day. Matthew looked up in exasperation tinged with disgust.

"Alfred, do you know how many of these forms I've filled out this week alone? _Twenty-two_. Tell me, how hard is it to remember to use a rubber? They're _free_ for crying out loud! We pass them out at least twice a day! There is no excuse for this!" Alfred was right, really if there was one thing Matthew hated filling out, it was VD prescriptions.

"Well, Mattie, what do you expect? We're on an island populated with beautiful women—"

"Who, up until seven months ago, was the enemy!"

"—And all they want is some big, strong soldier to keep them warm at night. Sometimes you just forget." Matthew snorted at that.

"I hope you're not speaking from experience. If I ever have to write you a prescription for penicillin, I'll kill you. You know how much I hate writing these damn things." Alfred flashed him a huge grin while shaking his head.

"You don't have to worry about me, Mattie. I don't have time for any of that." He said proudly, to which Matthew rolled his eyes.

"That's what they all say until they end up itching and standing in the penicillin line. Come on, I know you haven't done your rounds so let's go get that over with." Matthew said, grabbing his jacket after putting away that last bit of paperwork. Alfred shrugged good-naturedly and followed Matt out the office.

Rounds were pretty uneventful, if not a little long; when they finally finished, it was around four-thirty. Alfred was just about to suggest grabbing a bite to eat when Matthew checked his watch and groaned.

"What is it?" Alfred asked.

"I have to meet Arthur in an hour. I completely forgot that I promised to meet him for a drink. Don't give me that look, Al, you don't have to come." It was no small secret that Alfred and Arthur had never really gotten along and poor Matthew often found himself in the middle of their bickering. Alfred blanched, he hadn't seen Matthew all week and it looked like if he was going to spend time with him, he was going to have to see Arthur as well.

"I'll come, but I can't be held responsible if that jerk starts something." Matthew rolled his eyes, longsuffering apparent on his face.

"Come on, let's grab something to eat while we still have time. I don't want to be late."

"Where are you meeting him? Mess hall alright?"

"Some club in the Yoshiwara district. Yeah, the mess hall's fine."

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Alfred and Matthew arrived at the club to find it packed, which was usual for a Saturday night. Soldiers from different units mingled with the girls in the smoky room while the jukebox in the corner played a Glenn Miller song. It was typical of this kind of place, Alfred thought.

"Hm, not a bad place, just kind of small." Matthew remarked as though he read Alfred's mind.

"Eh, you've been to one of these clubs, you've been to them all." Alfred shrugged. "Let's hurry up and find Arthur." They slowly made their way through the club, looking for the Brit. They nodded in hello to people that they knew and Alfred couldn't resist flashing a smile at the girls, earning him a few smiles in return. He was busy grinning at a girl with short hair and a long curl hanging down in the front when he almost missed the fact that he and Matthew were almost separated when the other man turned suddenly to the left. He gave a sheepish grin to the girl who giggled in response before jogging slightly to catch up with Matthew.

"You know, for someone who claims not to have any time for it, you sure do enjoy the attention." Matthew said when Alfred made it to his side.

"What can I say," Alfred started, running his hand through his short blonde hair, "some guys have it, some guys don't." The other blonde rolled his eyes, still trying to find Arthur. Honestly, he thought to himself, it shouldn't be this hard to find a bushy-browed Brit in a club of this size. They continued on towards the back, near the bar.

Alfred chuckled to himself, keeping his eyes focused on finding Arthur. Despite him making a big show in front of Matthew about not having time, he did like the looks and attention he managed to attract from the local girls. He knew that with his short blonde hair, blue eyes, and muscular physique, he was considered very good-looking. And it also didn't hurt that he was considered a bit of a hero; he had managed to take down twenty-two enemy planes, including the most feared German aviator since the Red Baron, Gilbert Beilschmidt aka the Prussian Eagle.

"Hey," Matthew said, drawing Alfred out of his thoughts, "he's over there at the bar." Alfred looked over to where to the bar, scanning the small groups of people for any sign of Arthur when his gaze landed on a particular girl.

The girl was definitely different from any other girl he had seen, that was the truth. Large, chocolate brown eyes framed by long eyelashes were rimmed in light pink eye shadow. She had short, chin-length black hair that was adorned with a single pink flower and her bangs were swept off to the side, giving him a clear view of her face. She had a gentle, feminine face with minimal make-up, save for the aforementioned eye shadow and light pink lipstick, which was a huge contrast from the other girls in the club who slathered on the make-up. Since she was seated with her back to the bar, Alfred was able to take note of the simple black cocktail dress that fell at the knee that she had on and her shapely legs which were covered in opaque pantyhose. If there was ever a time Alfred wanted to catch a girl's eye, it was now, but the girl was too caught up in her companion, who coincidentally happened to be—

"Arthur! Oi, Arthur!" Matthew was waving at Arthur, drawing his attention away from the girl; Arthur looked slightly annoyed until he saw Matthew.

"Come on, Al, and do try and be on your best behavior. I'm not in the mood to mediate a fight." Alfred barely heard Matthew; his full attention was focused on Arthur's companion. As they got closer, Alfred made sure to run his fingers through his hair, making sure one of the hairs stuck up in order to give his hair a slightly disheveled appearance. When they finally caught up to Arthur, Alfred made sure to flash the girl a huge grin, earning a shy smile in return.

"Matthew!" Arthur exclaimed, rising from his seat to shake the other man's hand.

"Arthur! How's it been? Haven't seen you in awhile."

"Ah, you know, paperwork, paperwork, and more bloody paperwork. Probably the same as you've been except I don't have to do up prescriptions." Matthew chuckled before his gaze fell on Arthur's friend.

"Ah, Arthur, aren't you going to introduce us to your lovely friend?" Arthur looked embarrassed for a moment before nodding to his companion, who stood slowly.

"Gents, this my companion, Miss Kiku Honda. Kiku, this is Corporal Matthew Williams, he's an Army surgeon. Saw time in France, Germany, and Egypt. One of the finest doctors I know." Kiku smiled and gave a deep bow, before pulling out a small business card and presenting it to Matthew.

"I am very honored to meet you Matthew-san." Matthew accepted the card with a small bow.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Kiku." Alfred gave a small cough to let them know he was still standing there; Kiku giggled while Arthur rolled his eyes. He was hoping that Alfred would take a hint and leave, but apparently that wasn't going to be the case.

"Asa-san, I believe you neglected to introduce your friend." Alfred gave Kiku another smile as Arthur rolled his eyes again.

"Kiku, this git right here is Major Alfred Jones, United States Air Force." Alfred chose to ignore the "git" part in favor of grabbing Kiku's hand and giving it a light kiss. Kiku giggled softly while both Arthur and Matthew rolled their eyes.

"I have heard many stories about Alfred-san from the others. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." Kiku gave another deep bow before handing Alfred a business card. Alfred eagerly accepted it, noting that it had slight perfumed scent. It was a simple card, with the name of the club and Kiku's name underneath in simple script with a golden chrysanthemum to the right and Alfred took great care to place the card in his wallet.

"Well, now that you're all properly introduced, don't just stand there, take a seat." There were two empty seats next to Arthur and Matthew took the one closest to the Brit, expecting Alfred to occupy the other empty seat but was surprised when he took the seat next to Kiku. Matthew raised his eyebrow slightly, sending Alfred a questioning look. Alfred smiled before turning his attention back to Kiku.

"So, I hope we didn't interrupt whatever you and the old man were talking about." It was a good thing Kiku was in between the two of them because Arthur nearly made a move to strangle Alfred.

"Who are you calling 'old' you prat—" Kiku gently laid a hand on Arthur's arm in order to calm him, giving him a sweet smile.

"It is alright, Alfred-san. Asa-san was telling me about his time in Malta. If I'm not mistaken, Asa-san sank four U-boats?" Arthur relaxed before covering Kiku's hand with his own.

"That's right, Kiku. One of the reasons they referred to me as—"

"Scourge of the sea. Yeah Arthur, everyone's heard this story before." From the other side of Arthur, Matthew groaned. For some reason, whenever Alfred and Arthur where in close proximity to each other, it was like a contest to see who could go the longest without killing the other. _It's like a milder form of Francis and Arthur_, Matthew thought glumly to himself. Arthur clenched his teeth, he was determined not strangle Alfred in front of Kiku, who was looking between them with mild amusement. He was about fire off a subtle insult when it was Kiku who finally spoke.

"If Alfred-san tires of hearing this story, then perhaps he should tell one of his own?" That time, both Matthew and Arthur groaned. No doubt he would tell how he single-handedly took down the Prussian Eagle or any of his myriad of hero stories. They mentally prepared themselves for at least two hours devoted to the Prussian Eagle one.

"Actually, Miss Kiku, if you don't mind, I think I would rather hear something about you." Arthur felt his jaw drop in shock and Matthew was staring wide-eyed at Alfred. Alfred never missed an opportunity to tell that story; it was practically a rule that any meeting with the blonde had to include at least three references to it. Kiku, on the other hand, looked mildly surprised at Alfred's request before giving a slight shake of the head.

"I do not think you all would want me to bore you…"

"No! I'm sure a girl as pretty as you has tons of exciting stories to tell!" Kiku blushed and Alfred couldn't help but notice how cute it looked.

"I-if Alfred-san insists, I could speak about when I was young girl…"

* * *

It was some time after midnight when Alfred and Matthew finally left the club, quickly heading back to the base in the chilly March air. Alfred was uncharacteristically quiet and that was beginning to unnerve Matthew. It was when Alfred pulled out his wallet for the umpteenth time that Matthew finally said something.

"What's going on with you, Al? That's the fifth time you've pulled out your wallet. You've been acting weird since we first met up with Arthur." Alfred looked startled before giving the other blonde a smile.

"I'm fine, Mattie. Just thinking." Alfred was about to put his wallet away when Matthew deftly snatched it out of his hands.

"Hey!" Alfred exclaimed, trying to get it back, but it was too late for Matthew had opened it and pulled out Kiku's card.

"Ah, ah," Matthew snickered, holding up the card like a kind of trophy, "does somebody have a bit of a crush?" Alfred felt the beginning of a blush creep across his face as he tried desperately to get the card back.

"No! It's not like that—I mean, we just met—Miss Kiku is a very lovely girl, don't you think?" Alfred's desperate excuses only made Matthew laugh harder, leaving him open for Alfred to grab the card and his wallet.

"Aha! I knew something was up when you refused to tell your Prussian Eagle story. Thought you didn't have time for such things, Al?" Alfred glared as he gently placed the card back into his wallet before pocketing it.

"I don't have to tell that story all the time, you know?" Matthew snorted in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me? You've told me it so many damn times that I can recite it backwards with my eyes closed. Someone's got a case of the puppy love for Miss Kiku."

"I do not! She's a very interesting girl! Quit laughing at me, damn it!"

* * *

When Alfred crawled into bed that night, he set his wallet down carefully on the nightstand after removing the business card and gently placing it next to his glasses. Before falling asleep that night, he vowed that he was definitely going to start frequenting that club more often, even if it meant he would have to see Arthur. At least he would be able to see Miss Kiku again.


	4. Of Radios and Teapots

**I'm back with another chapter :) Thanks to everyone who has read/alerted/faved/reviewed/glanced at the story/what have you! I'm really enjoying writing this story!**

**Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own Hetalia. Please keep reading and reviewing!

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**

It was the end of another shift and Kiku, Yao, and Yong Soo were heading back to their apartment for the night. It had been a good shift and the club had been busy like it had never been before; it had been so busy that Kin had to call in some girls that he knew to help out. It had been successful and they knew they could count on a pretty big commission thanks to the amount of alcohol that had been purchased.

"Aiya, tonight was pretty good, aru." Yao said, stretching his arms out as Yong Soo nodded in agreement.

"Yep! I can't believe how many cute ones there were tonight! And they were all so generous!" Yong Soo exclaimed.

"Yes, there were…" Kiku said, trailing off. Yao raised his eyebrow slightly while Yong Soo gave Kiku a teasing smile.

"Oh? Has a certain soldier caught Kiku-chan's eye? Better not tell Arthur-san, he'll be heartbroken to find out that his beloved is letting somebody else feel up her leg." Yong Soo said before bursting into a fit of giggles. Kiku sighed, Yong Soo would not let the whole "Arthur touching his leg" bit go.

Arthur had been a perfect gentlemen during the evening, for the most part. No mention had been made of what had happened the night before and Arthur had kept his hands to himself, save for kissing his hand. Arthur had ordered one of the more expensive bottles of shouchou and kept Kiku's attention with tales of his time in the Mediterranean as well as some stories about his childhood in the English countryside. It had been an enjoyable evening between the two of them, up until Arthur's friends had shown up, which was the point that Arthur's behavior had went a little south.

He had been perfectly pleasant to Matthew, but Kiku had never seen Arthur treat anyone with such contempt as he did Alfred, save for the Frenchman that was keen on Yong Soo. It was such a shame, Kiku thought dolefully to himself, Alfred-san seemed to be a very charming and handsome man. Short blonde hair, blue eyes, handsome face, and it seemed that his uniform was designed to show off his build. Alfred also didn't let Arthur's less than subtle insults get to him; in fact, it seemed as though his entire attention had been focused on Kiku.

"Ohh, Kiku, you're blushing!" Yong Soo exclaimed, drawing Kiku out of his mind. A quick look in a window confirmed it, trademarked blush evident on his face.

"I noticed," Yao began, lips curling into a smile, "that someone seemed to have picked up another admirer. A very handsome one, aru." It was taking all Kiku's willpower not to bury his face in his hands in embarrassment. Why did his brothers have to tease him so?

"I've noticed, Yao, that you spend way too much time paying attention to me. Doesn't that offend Ivan-san?" Kiku's comment did nothing except to make Yong Soo and Yao laugh harder.

"Ah, Kiku, don't try and change the subject, aru! Besides, it was Ivan-chan who brought it to my attention, aru!" Kiku decided to give into temptation, groaning as his face met his hands. Why did these moments have to happen to him?

"Calm down, Kiku, I think it's rather cute. You're getting a following! Soon you'll be just as popular as me! So tell us, what was his name? Say, was it that cute blonde fellow with the glasses? The one with the jacket?" Yong Soo asked eagerly.

"His name is Alfred, aru! And it is!" Yao squealed with delight. "Ivan-chan was telling me about him, aru. Seems he's a pretty big hero, aru."

"A hero, Kiku? Is he going to be your—what do they call them? oh—knight in shining armor?" Yong Soo gleefully inquired.

"You do know this is the first time I've ever met Alfred-san, right? To say such things after a first meeting…"

"Come off of it, aru! Alfred hardly took his eyes off you. Ivan-chan was afraid he'd burn a hole right through your face, the way he was staring at you, aru!" Kiku felt his blushing intensify. Really, these things shouldn't happen to him; first Arthur and now Alfred.

"Aw, is Kiku finding herself in the middle of love triangle? If you want my advice, go for Alfred, Arthur's eyebrows are just too—"

"I am not in the middle of any triangle, Yong Soo. Alfred was just interested in what I had to say."

"Interested in the same way Arthur is, perhaps? Tell me, when he was listening to you talk, did he have his hand on your thigh?" Yong Soo asked before dissolving into a fit of high pitched giggles.

"Yong Soo, please. We just met. I probably won't see him again." Kiku said a little sadly. Yao noticed Kiku's look of slight dejection and moved to place his arms around the smaller man's frame and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Aiya, don't worry, aru. I'm sure Alfred will come back again, aru." Kiku smiled up at Yao.

"Thank you, Yao. You're probably right."

* * *

When Kiku awoke the next morning, he was unsurprised to find that he was the first one up; he was careful to remove himself from between his brothers without waking them up. He quietly left the bedroom and headed into the kitchen/living room with the intention of starting breakfast so it would be ready by time everyone was up. Kiku was normally the first one up, Yao would generally wake up about a half-hour later, just in time for a cup of tea, and Yong Soo would stumble out of bed just as breakfast was hitting the table. Kiku wasn't exactly sure how much food they had in the house and he was pretty sure there was going to have to be a market run in the near future; when he opened the cabinet, he saw that they only had enough rice to get them through that Wednesday. Sighing, he began work on what was going to have to be a simple breakfast of rice and probably leftover meat buns; he could almost hear Yong Soo's complaints. He grabbed the canister of tea before reaching in the cabinet and pulling out the old cast iron teapot, one of the few relics from their old home in the village. It was worn and slightly charred, having survived being passed down on his mother's side as well as the brutal bombing of their village.

Sometimes Kiku liked to think of his childhood in the village, before the war. They had lived about a hundred miles south of Tokyo in a small farming village. Their father had been a simple farmer and their mother was the daughter of a fisherman. For the longest time, they had toiled their little bit of land while their mother kept their small house well-kept. The brothers had alternated between helping their father in the fields and helping their mother in the house until it had been discovered that while Kiku and Yao had a natural talent for cooking and housecleaning, Yong Soo was better at tilling the fields. They probably would have kept up with that arrangement if it were not for their mother falling ill and the outbreak of the war. Their father had rushed off to join the military, sending any money that he made back to their village to pay for their mother's medicine and it was decided that Yao and Yong Soo would work the field and Kiku would look after their mother, keeping up the house and preparing the meals. The arrangement seemed to have been working and their mother's prognosis had seemed to have been getting better until they received word that their father had been killed in the Battle of Midway. Since the harvest wasn't bringing in enough money to pay for the medication, all three brothers had been forced to find work in a nearby munitions factory. It worked for about a year and a half, before their mother died of the disease.

"Aiya, Kiku, you're letting the tea boil over, aru." Yao's sleepy voice drew Kiku back to the task at hand and he saw that the tea was indeed beginning to boil over the sides. Quickly, he removed the kettle and placed it on the low table while Yao took out the cups.

"Sorry, I was a bit distracted." Kiku apologized, pouring some tea into Yao's cup while Yao waved off his apology.

"What were you thinking about, aru?" Yao asked, pouring Kiku some tea.

"I was thinking about the village and Mother and Father..." Yao gave Kiku a soft smile before placing his hand on Kiku's arm.

"I thought about Mother this morning as well, aru…" Kiku smiled sadly, focusing on the steam billowing out of the cup.

"I wonder…what they would say if they could see us…" Yao raised his eyebrows before bringing up his cup to sip from it.

"Father probably wouldn't be too happy, but I'm sure he would understand, aru. Mother would have probably loaned us use of her make-up, aru." Yao chuckled. Kiku shook his head, sipping his tea delicately.

"I don't know Yao. I think they would be ashamed…to see their three sons as women…" Kiku trailed off, looking over at the small family altar that held their parents' memorial tablets.

"Kiku, you worry too much. We're not on the streets starving and we're not dead, aru. I think we're doing pretty well." Kiku shrugged before getting up to check on the rice.

Kiku was just setting the container of meat buns on the table when Yong Soo finally crawled out bed and into the kitchen for breakfast.

"Good morning, Yong Soo." Kiku said quietly, earning a grunt in response from the younger man; Yong Soo plopped down at the table across from Yao before picking up his cup of lukewarm tea and draining it.

"So," he asked, setting the cup down and motioning for Kiku to refill it, "what are we doing today?"

"We need to go to the market and do some shopping." Kiku replied, filling his brother's cup.

"There's laundry that needs to be done, aru." Yao said, placing a bun on his plate.

"Tch, bo-ring. I want to do something fun."

"Like what, aru?"

"We could look around Mitsukoshi Department Store!" Yong Soo exclaimed, causing Yao and Kiku to raise their eyebrows slightly.

"Yong Soo, I don't think we can afford anything in there…"

"I don't even think they would let us in the door, aru." Yong Soo dismissed their protests with a wave of his hand.

"We don't have to buy anything, just look around. Think how awesome it would be!" Kiku looked at Yao and shrugged.

"Alright, we'll go, but only for a bit and we won't buy anything, aru!" Yong Soo grinned and Kiku even found himself smiling. None of them had ever been to a department store like Mitsukoshi before and it would be a much more enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon than grocery shopping and doing laundry.

* * *

"Aiya, look at that stove, aru!" Yao exclaimed, pointing at one of the newer models.

"It's a lot better than the one we have." Yong Soo said, eyeing the stove with envy.

"And a lot more expensive, too. We'd be indebted to Kin for a long time before we could afford this." Kiku noted sadly.

"Let's move onto something else before we get too attatched, aru." Yao laughed as Kiku and Yong Soo nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! Let's check out the radios! That would be nice to have in the apartment!"

"Yong Soo, I said no buying. Any radio this place has would probably cost an arm and a leg, aru." Kiku shook his head and followed his brothers to the electronics section.

After a "quick" detour through the clothing section (where even Kiku found his iron resolve to not buy anything weakening) they made it to the electronics where the newest model of radios were. Having a radio for the apartment would definitely make staying home a lot more enjoyable. They would be able to listen to music as well as news broadcasts, instead of relying on the faulty radio that Kin kept at the club.

"Ahh, that's a nice model." Yong Soo said, pointing at a small, white Westinghouse.

"So is the one next to it. And its cheaper." Kiku said. Yao sighed, he knew that coming here would probably be a bad idea, especially if Yong Soo saw something that caught his eye. They were so busy mulling over radios that they didn't notice when a salesman came up behind them.

"Can I help you ladies with anything?" The brothers had found that it was more convenient keep up the appearance of being female when in public, for fear of running into someone associated with the club. The last thing they needed were their clients finding out about their secret.

"Ah ha, I'm afraid not, aru. We're just browsing." Yao said, punctuating his statement with a high-pitched giggle. The salesman smiled, giving the three of them a once over.

"Are you sure? I noticed that you three lovelies had been focused on those radios for quite a bit."

"We're sure, aru, thank—"

"Well, since you mentioned it, could you tell us the difference between these two models? Besides the price and the make, we mean." Yong Soo said, effectively cutting off Yao.

Fifteen minutes later, the salesman had effectively explained the difference between the Westinghouse and the RCA and why the Westinghouse was the superior model. It was only when they got to talk of payment plans and credit that Yao had wisely decided that it was time for them to head back home before the salesman could talk them into blowing what little money they had on a radio.

"So, if we were to get a radio, the Westinghouse is the one we'd want to get, huh?" Yong Soo was saying as they made their way to the train station.

"I suppose. Though it would be cheaper to get a local brand then one of the American ones, aru." Yao noted.

"Cheaper, yeah, but you heard what the man was saying. Obviously we want the Westinghouse." Yong Soo argued. Kiku rolled his eyes as he mentally prepared himself for another fight.

"I don't know why you're still on this, you know we can't get a radio right now, aru." Yong Soo was about to say something when it appeared an idea struck him.

"We may not be able to buy one…but that doesn't mean someone can't give us one!"

"Yong Soo, what are you talking about? Who's going to give us something so expensive as a radio?" Kiku asked. The younger man grinned before turning to face Yao. Yao's eyes got big as he shook his head feverently.

"No! I am not going to take advantage of Ivan-chan's kindness, aru!"

"Why not! He obviously doesn't mind spending money on you! What's wrong with asking him for a radio?" Yong Soo argued.

"It's rude, aru!"

"Alright then, Kiku, why don't you ask Arthur for a radio?" Kiku looked about as shocked as Yao did.

"Yong Soo, that would be the height of rudeness…" Yong Soo rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation.

"Ugh, fine! You two are so lame!"

"If you want one so bad, why don't _you_ ask someone, aru?" Yao shot back.

"Because I don't have an Ivan or an Arthur to ask. Besides, it'll be easier for you two to do it. I'm sure they wouldn't mind…as long as they got something in return. " Yong Soo said nonchalantly, causing Yao and Kiku to simultaneously have a stroke.

"YONG SOO!"

"What? Oh, I'm not saying both of you have to put out. Only one of you. But if both of you do it, that means we can get two!"

"I can't believe you, suggesting that Yao and I…do that…just so you can have something to listen to music out of." Kiku admonished.

"Okay, fine. It does sound a little silly." Yong Soo conceded. Kiku and Yao sighed in relief; it wasn't everyday that they were able to talk Yong Soo out of his ridiculous ideas this quickly.

"We're glad you see it our way, aru. Maybe if we save our money—"

"If all of us put out, then we'll have three and not have to share! It'll be perfect!"

"YONG SOO!"

* * *

**Bit of a slice-of-life/backstory going on there, heh.**


	5. True Infatuation

Oh boy, I'm so sorry about the delay! This chapter took a while to write and I'm not too pleased with how it came out. Oh, well. It has a nice little treat at the end for all you Russia/China shippers :D. Again, thanks for all the reviews and such and do continue to read and review!

**Disclaimer:**** After five chapters, I still don't own _Hetalia_.

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"Honestly Al, could you please slow down just a little bit?" Matthew cried as an eager Alfred led him through the winding streets of Yoshiwara.

"No can do Mattie, you're just gonna have to keep up." The other man replied with a smile before continuing on at a faster pace; Matthew groaned before hurrying to keep up with Alfred.

"Why are you in such a hurry, anyway? You're acting like the place is going to be closed or something. It just opened about an hour ago."

"I know. We would've been there, too, if my commanding officer hadn't held me up. Fucking paperwork." Alfred said.

"Why is it so important that we rush? I haven't even had dinner yet. Besides, that club is a place Arthur goes to a lot and you hate running into him, unless…" Matthew said before realization hit him like a ton of bricks, causing him to stop and let a slow smirk spread on his face. Alfred stopped as well, not liking the tone of that last word.

"Unless someone wants to see a certain someone, perhaps?" Matthew said quietly, smirk getting bigger.

"N-no! That's not it at all! I just want to get there early, you know before it gets too crowded." Alfred said defensively.

"You want to get there so you can see Miss Kiku again! Alfred's got a cru~sh, Alfred's got a cru~sh!" Matthew said in a singsong voice.

"Okay, so maybe I do." Alfred knew there was no point in hiding it from Matthew. Ever since he had left the club on Saturday, the only thing he could think about was Kiku and when he would get to see her again.

"Aw, that's so cute. Love at first sight. I suppose you've already thought of what the wedding will be like and what you're going to name your children. One better be named after me, with the amount of crap from you I have to put up with." Alfred glared at this insinuation. Honestly, he wasn't some lovelorn teenager.

"For your information, I haven't done any of that. And even if Miss Kiku and I were to get married and have children, why would I waste my child's name on you?" Matthew rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Al, I know you too well. I saw the way you looked at her; you kept looking at her card the entire walk home the other night, for Chrissakes." Alfred shrugged before continuing on.

"She's a very beautiful and striking lady, Matthew. Frankly, I'm surprised you're not infatuated as well." Alfred said nonchalantly.

"She is pretty, I'll give you that. But I don't do the whole "love at first sight." I'm not a fifteen year-old girl, Al."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A GIRL?"

"Quit whining and hurry up. Don't want to keep your Miss Kiku waiting~"

* * *

Kiku couldn't help but notice that Arthur seemed kind of nervous tonight. He had been rather twitchy since he sat down next to Kiku at their favorite spot at the bar, keeping his eyes downcast and fumbling at something in his pocket. Whatever conversation Kiku had tried to start had been awkward and Arthur kept insisting that nothing was wrong.

"Asa-san," Kiku tried again for the fifth time, "are you sure everything is alright? You've been acting very strange and it is making me think I have done something wrong."

"What! N-no! You've done nothing of the sort! I'm just a little nervous, that's all!" Arthur sputtered before he realized what he said. Kiku gulped, what did Arthur have to be nervous about?

"Why is Asa-san nervous?" Kiku tentatively asked. Arthur gulped before reaching in his pocket.

"I don't know how you're going to res—"

"Hello Miss Kiku!" a loud voice interrupted them, causing Arthur and Kiku to look up and see a beaming Alfred being trailed by Matthew. Arthur mentally groaned while Kiku's smiled before waving them over. _Just what I need_, Arthur thought to himself_, the git._

"Alfred-san, Matthew-san, it is a pleasure to see you again." Kiku said, gracefully getting off the stool to give a polite bow.

"It's good to see again, too, Miss Kiku. Arthur, you're looking a bit peaky, is everything okay?"

"It was until you showed up with the prat." Arthur mumbled to himself.

"What was that?"

"I said I just need a drink! It's been a long day." Arthur lied quickly, turning to the bar and ordering another bottle of sake. Kiku caught Matthew's puzzled glance and gave an elegant shrug before turning to Alfred and smiling sweetly to which Alfred returned with a huge grin of his own.

"How are you this evening, Alfred-san?" Alfred didn't want to admit it, but he felt his world get a little brighter whenever Kiku smiled at him.

"I'm doing great," he said, claiming the seat next to Kiku as his own, "especially now that I'm in the presence of such a gorgeous girl." Matthew really had to fight to keep from snorting out loud. _Is this really the best he can do?_ He thought to himself as he took what was looking to be his usual seat next to Arthur.

Kiku was fighting off the makings of a fierce blush; of course he had heard every line in the book, but there was something about the way Alfred said them with such confidence and earnestness. It was like Arthur but somehow different…

"Alfred-san is too kind with his words." Kiku said softly, smoothing out his navy blue dress. Alfred couldn't help but appreciate the contrast of porcelain hands on dark blue.

"That's a beautiful dress you've got on, Miss Kiku." Kiku smiled demurely while placing a hand on Arthur's arm, earning a kiss on the cheek from the Brit.

"_Arigatou_, Alfred-san. It is Asa-san's favorite and he asked me to wear it tonight." There was something about those actions and Kiku's words that made Alfred feel the barest burn of jealousy. _Lucky jerk_, Alfred thought as he shot Matthew a look. Matthew merely shrugged before moving to order a drink.

"Asa-san, you were about to tell me something before your friends arrived." Kiku reminded Arthur, pouring a bit of beer into Matthew's glass. Arthur swallowed hard before reaching in his pocket and pulling out a small box wrapped in rice paper; Matthew and Alfred raised their eyebrows as Arthur placed the box in front of Kiku.

"I didn't want to give you this in front everyone…" Kiku gently picked up the box and slowly unwrapped it and opened it, revealing a pair of simple yet tasteful blue flowered hair combs.

"I saw it the other day and it reminded me of that blue dress you always wear…" Arthur was blushing furiously now while a light pink was dusting Kiku's cheeks.

"Arthur, I had no idea you were such a sentimental fool." Matthew said, chuckling at his friend's expression.

"I'm not sentimental! I just saw this and thought Kiku would like it! Nothing sentimental or foolish about that, prat!" Matthew only laughed harder while Arthur continued to stammer.

Kiku swallowed nervously, it seemed like Arthur had put so much thought into the gift. He gave Arthur a sidelong glance before plucking the combs from their place in the paper and fixing them neatly in his hair.

"Domo arigatou, Asa-san," Kiku said, moving to awkwardly hug Arthur, "I will cherish them." Arthur returned the hug and before Kiku could register what was happening next, the other man's lips were suddenly on his. It was brief kiss that lasted for not even a full second before Arthur pulled away quickly, face redder than a tomato. Kiku could practically sense what Yao and Yong Soo's reactions were going to be when they found out and right now his own reaction was one of utter confusion. _Asa-san just kissed me_, he thought dazedly to himself. It had only been a peck, but Kiku could tell that it had taken Arthur a whole lot of nerve to kiss him. For what had to have been the millionth time that night, Kiku swallowed nervously as well as trying to fight off a furious blush.

"A-a-asa-san?" He asked softly, gazing at Arthur who still had his face buried in his hands. Arthur sighed before turning to look at Kiku, carefully twining their fingers together.

"Kiku, you are very special to me. Don't ever forget that." Arthur said, leaning in to give Kiku another kiss on the lips. Kiku was about to reply a loud thud from his right prevented him from doing so. Alfred had slammed his hand on the bar, startling them.

"Al?" Matthew asked, noticing the hurt look that had quickly disappeared from his face.

"Oh! I, uh, just remembered that I…have some paperwork that I forgot to turn in to my commanding officer! So, I'm gonna go…heh, don't want to get yelled at again…" Alfred finished lamely, jumping up from the bar.

"Alfred-san is everything alright?" Kiku asked and Alfred gave him a forced smile.

"Everything's fine, Miss Kiku. I just need to finish up some work. I'll probably see you again soon?"

"Of course, Alfred-san. I hope the rest of your evening goes well." Alfred felt a surge of hurt course through his chest at Kiku's words. As if that was going to happen, his night had been completely ruined.

"Thank you, Miss Kiku." He swallowed hard. "Well, I'll see you all later. Good-night." Without waiting for another word, Alfred hurriedly left the club.

"I wonder what's wrong with him?" Arthur said, watching the other man's retreating form. Matthew sighed before reaching into his wallet and pulling out a handful of bills and dropping them on the bar.

"I'm going to go with Al. You know, make sure he gets his paperwork done this time." Arthur nodded and waved him off while Kiku gave the blond a concerned look.

"Don't worry about him Miss Kiku, he'll be fine. I'll see you again later, Arthur?" Matthew said before leaving to catch up with Alfred.

"I hope Alfred-san will be alright…" Kiku said after Matthew had left. Arthur merely shrugged before placing his arm around Kiku's thin shoulders.

"No idea, _love_." Kiku inwardly shivered at the epithet Arthur had used for him. So they were at that stage now, though Kiku had to wonder if Arthur was going at this whole thing backwards; kissing, gifts and nicknames were supposed to come before prepositions of intimacy

"Asa-san…" It wasn't a question this time.

"Kiku, I told you: you are a very special person to me. I enjoy your company a lot and I find you fascinating." The arm around his shoulder pulled him closer to the other man and Kiku had to force himself to relax into it.

"…I feel the same towards Asa-san…"

* * *

"_Dammit! Just dammit all to hell!" _Alfred cursed angrily to himself as he stalked back to the base.

"_It's not fair! What does a beautiful, charming, lovely, sweet girl like Kiku see in a bushy-browed, ornery old man like Arthur anyway? He's a pain in the ass!_"

"Alfred!" He was so deep in his Arthur-bashing thoughts that he almost missed Matthew calling his name; he stopped and looked behind him to see the other blond jogging to catch up with him.

"Oh, hey Mattie. I thought you stayed behind." Matthew shook his head, panting from his attempt to catch up.

"Are you alright, Al? You looked like your heart was about to break back there." Alfred shook his head, clearly indicating that he did not want to talk about it. Matthew rolled his eyes and blew out a puff of air.

"Alfred, are you actually upset that a girl you just met _two nights ago_ is in what seems to be some kind of relationship?" Alfred said nothing in favor of glaring at the ground.

"Ah, so you are. Are you really that infatuated with her? You barely know her and it seems that Arthur is quite keen on her."

"I guess you could see it that way, since he practically confessed his love for her." Alfred said moodily.

"Al, did it ever occur to you that Miss Kiku might want to be with Arthur? She's known him a lot longer than she has you. It makes sense." Matthew's words were not making Alfred feel any better. _What kind of friend is he anyway_, Alfred thought to himself, _he's supposed to be on my side!_

"What does that have to do with anything?" Alfred snapped. "She hasn't had a chance to get to know me!" Matthew sighed.

"This is actually upsetting you…"

"You're damned right it is! What does she see in some bushy-browed old man like Arthur? He's got to be twice her age! What is her age, anyway?" Matthew was resisting the urge to facepalm.

"See, there you go. You don't even know how old she is, let alone anything about her save for that bit about when she got stuck in a tree as a girl and a few other stories about her childhood. And Arthur is only five years older than you, so quit with the old jokes." Matthew said.

"Well, I still don't see why she prefers him. I'd think the fact that she's known him long enough would put her off…." Alfred trailed off, reverting his gaze back to the ground. Matthew sighed, it was looking like he was going to have to take a different approach.

"Well, here's an idea for you: get to know her. Become her friend first instead of going straight into making her your girl." Alfred perked up at this.

"What're you getting at?"

"What I'm saying is start out as friends, let her see the real you—not that lame attempt at being a gentleman that you're pulling—get to know her, let her get to know you and then…you know."

"Y'know Mattie, that's actually a pretty good plan." Matthew smiled; maybe if he could get them at the friendship stage and maybe show the other man that there were plenty of fish in the sea, Alfred would drop this whole infatuation with Kiku.

"Of course it is. What better way to show your "love" than by being her friend?"

* * *

Kiku had gotten lucky in that Kin didn't need him to stay and help clean up that night, so he didn't have to walk home with his brothers and the inevitable teasing. He was not in the mood for any of their jokes and he was hoping that he could make it back and in the bed before they arrived home. He took in a deep breath, letting the cool night air filter through his lungs. It wasn't everyday that he got a bit of alone time to do some thinking.

Kiku knew he should be grateful that Arthur had expressed an interest in him and he was. He was kind, generous, and Kiku did find Arthur's thicker than average eyebrows to be quite endearing. And it wasn't like he had any reason to be picky when he himself wasn't much to look at, Kiku thought to himself. Out of his brothers, he was the palest as well as the smallest; he was a good two years older than Yong Soo and yet the younger boy still towered over him by several centimeters. He was bony, not quite getting over the food shortages from when he lived in the village, so any clothes that he got had to be altered so they wouldn't fall off his thin frame. And then there was the matter of his personality: whereas Yong Soo and Yao were loud and outgoing, he was quiet and reserved. What Arthur saw in him to make him start kissing him and using nicknames, as well out right prepositioning him, puzzled Kiku to no end.

Then there was the feeling that he really didn't hold the same feelings for Arthur. Kiku knew he couldn't tell Arthur that he only saw him as a friend, that would make him look like the essence of ungrateful. The man had gotten him a gift, for heaven's sake. And even if he did mention to Arthur how he truly felt, what if the other man took offense and left? If Kin found out, this could cost him his job and then the brothers would be short one income.

Kiku arrived at the apartment, still just as unsure as ever. Perhaps it would be better to go along with it, he thought as he trudged towards the bedroom. Maybe after awhile, he would find himself reciprocating Arthur's feelings. He sat at the vanity and gently removed the combs, running his fingers over the delicate flowers. These were not cheap, Kiku noted, especially since they were made of finely polished cherry wood. Kiku placed them gently on the vanity before grabbing a hankerchief and wetting it in the water bowl and setting about removing the minimal make-up on his face. Afterwards, he stripped himself of his clothes, pulled on his nightclothes and crawled onto the futon, hugging his knees as he stared off.

"Asa-san kissed me." He mumbled to himself. It felt weird, saying it outloud, _acknowledging it_. Before his mind could start up with another analysis of the situation, he heard the door to the apartment open.

"_Ah! They're back!"_ Kiku thought, pulling the blankets over him and pretending to be asleep. He waited for the telltale signs of his brothers' entrance but heard nothing except the soft murmur of voices. One of them was definitely Yao but the second voice wasn't Yong Soo. Silently, he got out of bed and crept over to the door, pushing it open slightly in order to see what was going on.

"I would invite you in, but I don't want to wake Kiku, aru." Yao was saying to the figure in the doorway.

"That is fine. I would not want your sister to be angry, da." It was Ivan. He must have waited for Yao to finish up in order to walk him home, Kiku realized.

"Thanks again for escorting me home, Ivan-chan. It was so sweet of you, aru…" Kiku couldn't see Yao's face, but he was pretty sure the he was blushing.

"It was an honor. I did not want anything to happen to you, da." Ivan had placed a gloved hand on Yao's face and was stroking it gently. Yao grabbed his hand before pressing a small kiss to the palm of the other man's hand. Kiku could see Ivan's face light up before dropping the hand down to Yao's waist, bring his other hand down to rest on the other side before pulling Yao close. Yao raised his arms up, draping them around Ivan's neck before bring him down to meet his lips for a kiss.

It was passionate and slow, quite unlike the peck that Arthur had given him earlier in the evening, Kiku noted. Ivan was gripping Yao's waist, pulling him closer while Yao's fingers were tangling themselves in the hair on Ivan's neck, pulling the man further down to make the kiss deeper. Kiku would have stayed there all night when it finally hit him that he was intruding on a private moment; he wordlessly shut the door, careful not to make a sound, before slipping back in the bed.


	6. Only on a Rainy Day

**Whew, sorry for keeping y'all waiting! This chapter was pretty...odd to write. And long, too. Oh well -shrugs- Again, muchos gracias to all who have read/reviewed/faved/alerted! **

**Disclaimer: Still don't own _Hetalia_. I believe Himaruya-sensei is screening my calls.**

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The sound of rain falling outside the window woke Kiku up with a start; he was relieved to see that Yong Soo had eventually made it in and was curled up next to him, head resting lightly on his shoulder. Yao was still asleep as well, serene smile in place on his features, no doubt dreaming of what happened last night. Carefully, he slid from his spot and the middle with his usual care as to not to wake them and padded gracefully into the kitchen.

Breakfast was going to have to be light, Kiku noted as he opened the cupboards. A trip to the market was in order and it would definitely have to be today. He started the rest of the rice as well preparing the tea and by time Yao had made it up, breakfast was pretty much ready.

"Good morning, aru." Yao said, accepting the cup of tea Kiku offered him before sitting down.

"Good morning. I take it you slept well?" Kiku asked, thinking back to what he saw last night. Yao gave a dreamy smile before sipping his tea.

"I did, aru. Ivan-chan walked me home since Yong Soo decided to go out and you had already left. I hope I didn't wake you when I got home, aru." Kiku shook his head before taking a sip of his own tea.

"You were fine. I didn't even realize that you had came home." Kiku lied. Yao smiled before stretching his arms.

"So, Kiku…those combs on the table in the bedroom…where did they come from, aru?" Kiku swallowed hard, he knew that it was inevitable that someone was bound to notice the hair combs. To tell Yao about the hair combs would also mean telling him about the kiss.

"They were a gift…" He said as Yao raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? From Arthur, perhaps, aru?" There was no use in lying, so Kiku nodded his head in affirmation.

"Maa, Kiku that was sweet of him…as well as generous. Hand carved cherry wood isn't cheap, aru." Yao said, sly smile in place on his face.

"He gave them to me last night…he said he enjoyed my company." Might as well tell Yao the entire story. Better to do it now while Yong Soo was still asleep. Yao smiled and placed his hand on Kiku's arm.

"Aw, so sweet, aru!" Yao exclaimed, clapping his hands together. Kiku gave a wan smile before refilling Yao's cup.

"He also…well…Asa-san kissed me last night." The words spilled out of his mouth like water. It was weird, saying it out loud to another person. He was beginning to find that the more he said it, the more real it became.

"Aiya! He did? When? How long did it last, aru? What kind of kiss? Give me details, aru!" Yao gushed, grabbing Kiku's hands. Yao was a true romantic, Kiku noted.

"It wasn't much," Kiku confessed, "just a couple of pecks on the lip." If it were possible, the grin on Yao's face got wider.

"A kiss on the lips? Two of them? Ahh, so romantic!" Yao sighed, pouring tea into Kiku's cup. Kiku nodded in thanks before getting up to check on the breakfast.

"I guess…. Asa-san's fondness has been growing…he said that I was very special to him…" Kiku turned around quickly when he heard Yao beginning to choke on his tea.

"Nii-san, are you okay?" Kiku asked, concerned. Yao calmed down before giving Kiku a wide-eyed stare.

"Kiku! You didn't tell me that! This changes everything, aru!" Now it was Kiku's turn to stare. Yao had gone from approval to complete bewilderment in the span of thirty seconds.

"What are you talking about?" Yao brought up hand to his forehead and sighed dramatically.

"Aiyaaa, Kiku, Arthur is in love with you!" Kiku sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Well, I had figured that much last night…" Yao shook his head before grabbing the other man by the shoulders

"It's not just that, aru! If Arthur is in love with you and you feel the same way…well…didn't you say that Arthur has a fiancée, aru?" Now it was Kiku's turn to stare in bewilderment. _Damn it! How could I forget that?_ He thought to himself.

"Ohh, Kiku don't tell me you forgot, aru…"

"I-I didn't mean to!" Kiku protested.

"Ahh, Kiku…don't be the other woman…" Kiku cringed, that had not been his intent to steal a woman's fiancée. And what was Arthur thinking, falling in love with him while his poor fiancée pined for him back home in England?

"This cannot happen…" Kiku murmured, staring at his tea and refusing to look Yao in the eyes. Yao nodded before placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"You'll just have to tell Arthur that you can't do this, aru. It's _wrong_." Yao said emphatically.

"I know, I know. I guess I will talk to him about it tonight. Hopefully Asa-san will understand…"

"Make him, aru. Perhaps he doesn't quite realize what he's doing. Being away for so long, he probably has come to see you as a stand in." Kiku felt a little pang in his heart at that. That was certainly one way to look at it and he knew that it was his job to basically serve as a proxy for the women the men had left behind, but to say it out loud…and then what if Arthur truly saw him as some substitute? Romantic feelings aside, Kiku thought very highly of Arthur and considered him a very good friend.

"Ehh, Kiku? Are you alright, aru?" Yao's voice brought him out of his thoughts and back to the present. Kiku looked up at Yao and gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Y-yes. I'm just thinking on how I'm going to tell Asa-san."

"Tell Arthur what?" Yong Soo had finally gotten out of bed and had made it to the breakfast table. Kiku looked at Yao who merely nodded before pouring Yong Soo a cup of tea.

"Um, well, last night…" Kiku began, not really wanting to tell Yong Soo what had happened, but he knew it would be unfair to tell Yao and then keep the younger boy in the dark, even if Yong Soo would tease him about this for days.

"See…Asa-san kissed me. Twice." Yong Soo grinned before taking a sip of tea.

"Aww, how sweet! Tell me, was Bushy-brows any good?"

"It was just a couple of pecks on the lips…" Kiku said softly.

"It's still a kiss, aniki." Yong Soo said, flicking his ahoge. "Did he do anything else? I need details, Kiku. I don't have time to watch you all evening like Yao does." Yao shook his had at that comment, not even bothering to give a reply.

"Well, he gave me a set of hand-carved combs…" Yong Soo clapped his hands, before draping an arm over Kiku.

"Oooh, he wants something. If its what I'm thinking, make sure you get the radio before you do anything else—"

"Yong Soo, please. This is no time for joking about such things, aru. We think Arthur might be in love with Kiku, aru." Yong Soo snorted before ruffling Kiku's hair.

"Seriously? What did I say about tethering yourself to one when you can have many? Gosh, you're turning into Yao."

"That's not the point, aru! And what's wrong with that anyway?"

"It's so boring! Same man, every night. Get some _variety_, aniki. Francis says it's the spice of life. Besides, it makes you look more interesting to the boys…"

"Wha—I…I can't believe we're discussing this when we have something more important to take care of, aru. Arthur is in love with Kiku, but he already has a fiancée, aru!"

"So? He's not the only one. At least half the boys there are about to take the walk down the aisle." Yong Soo said, shrugging. Yao shook his head before turning back to Kiku.

"Do you know what you're going to say, aru?" Kiku shrugged before getting up to place breakfast on the table.

"I really don't know. Perhaps it will come to me before tonight." Kiku said, placing the rice on the table.

"I hope so, aru." Yao said while Yong Soo gave another shrug.

"Do what you want, aniki. I think you should give it a chance, he obviously cares a lot for you...hey, where's the rest of the food?" Kiku sighed, definitely going shopping after breakfast.

"This is it. We need to go shopping today."

"I can't go today, I'm meeting up with Eduard for lunch." Yong Soo apologized.

"I was going to wash up the clothes and get a few of them mended, aru." Yao said, picking up his chopsticks. Kiku gave another sigh, Yao and Yong Soo hated grocery shopping with a passion. If there were a way for them to avoid it, they would find it.

"I suppose I could do it alone…"

"If you want, aniki, I could reschedule. Though I don't know how to get in touch with Eduard…" Kiku waved him off.

"No, go and enjoy your time with him. It is no problem, it'll give me time to think." Kiku said, giving Yong Soo a reassuring smile.

"Thanks. Eduard promised to take me somewhere special and I really want to go." Yong Soo said before munching on some rice.

"Where's he taking you, aru?" Yao asked curiously. Yong Soo shrugged before going back to his food.

"No idea. Eduard said that I would enjoy it, so…"

"I take it that Eduard is quite attached to you, hmm?" Now it was Kiku's turn to tease.

"Pfft, not like Arthur is to you, Kiku. I haven't gotten groped in public yet." Yong Soo said with a smirk as Yao rolled his eyes.

"I'm so glad you decided to clarify it with the 'in public' part, aru."

"You can't grope the unwilling, aniki~"

* * *

"Well, I'm going out, is there anything in particular that you need?" Kiku called as he stepped into his geta before grabbing the umbrella and the basket by the door.

"Yeah, could you grab me a couple of packs of Lucky Strikes?" Yong Soo had recently taken up smoking after trying it with Francis. Yao thought it was a disgusting habit to take up and disliked the way the apartment would reek of cigarettes after Yong Soo had finished; Yao had asked him to stop smoking in the house and Yong Soo generally ignored it.

"I'm fine, aru. If I need anything, I'll pick it up. I need to go to the seamstress and get the hem of this dress fixed, aru." Yao said, waving Kiku off. Kiku nodded before sliding the door open and disappearing into the drizzle.

It was a good day to do his shopping, Kiku thought to himself as he walked down the narrow street. Since it was raining, the shops wouldn't be so crowded and he would actually be able to get something done. Very few people were out on the street, save for the occasional delivery boy or other person who had decided to pick up a few things. It was quiet and for once, Kiku found himself at peace. It wasn't very often that he had time to take walks by himself and he was determined to enjoy it. He smiled as he gripped his umbrella and slowed his pace down to a leisurely stroll. He was preparing to lose himself in his thoughts when he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

"Miss Kiku! Hey, Miss Kiku!" It was Alfred, of all people. Kiku immediately regretted his decision to wear the dingy yukata that he found in the closet; a hostess should always look her best in case she ran into a client. Kiku suddenly wished he had kept that rule closer to heart.

"Ah, Alfred-san," Kiku began, raising the pitch of his voice and bowing deeply, "I was not expecting to see you out here." Alfred smiled and returned the gesture.

"Oh, I'm just finishing up my rounds. What are doing out here on a day like this?" Alfred asked.

"I was just about to do some shopping, Alfred-san." Alfred was instantly struck by an idea: what if he was to accompany Kiku? Friends went shopping together and maybe Kiku would allow him to pay for her groceries…

"Well, I'm pretty much done here except for writing up my report, do you mind if I join you?" Alfred asked, eyes shining hopefully. Kiku couldn't help but smile softly at his request, thinking it cute how Alfred wanted to accompany him on a boring errand.

"I don't know, Alfred-san. I would hate to keep you from writing your report and have you leaving so early from the club, like what happened last night." Alfred's grin faltered just a bit as he remembered the events of previous evening; he quickly pushed all jealous thoughts out of his mind. _Remember, Jones, be her friend._

"Aw, don't worry about it Miss Kiku. I'll make sure I get it done before tonight. I would hate to not be able to spend a full evening with such a beautiful girl like you." Kiku flushed pale pink at the compliment, there really was something about how the American was able to charm him so. It had to be look of confidence in his sky blue eyes coupled with that infectious grin that Alfred always seemed to sport whenever Kiku was near; Kiku was finding that he rather enjoyed Alfred's presence.

"Then it would be an honor, Alfred-san." Kiku said sweetly. Alfred grinned before offering her his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.

"If you don't mind, we can share my umbrella." Alfred said. Kiku smiled demurely before folding the umbrella and moving closer to Alfred, gently taking the proffered arm. Alfred felt a jolt of electricity at the contact and tried to fight off the blush that was slowly creeping on to his features. He swallowed hard before asking her to lead the way.

They continued down the narrow street in companionable silence before they arrived at the small shop where the siblings did most of their shopping. Alfred opened the door, allowing Kiku to enter first while he tried to wrestle his umbrella closed before offering to carry the basket that Kiku brought from home.

"Alfred-san, you don't have to…" Kiku began before Alfred held up his hand to stop him.

"It would be my pleasure, Miss Kiku." He said, gently taking the basket from Kiku's grasp. They shared a smile before they were interrupted by the shopkeeper.

"_Irrashaimase_! Oh, Honda-san! It is good to see you again!" The shopkeeper greeted, bowing deeply. Kiku returned the bow before initiating some small talk in Japanese about the shopkeeper's wife and son, while Alfred stood by awkwardly.

"Masako-chan is doing well and Hiroshi is almost ready to resume school. Tell me, how is Soo-san and Yao-san?" The shopkeeper asked.

"They are doing well, Tamaguchi-san." The shopkeeper smiled before he finally noticed Alfred.

"Ah, forgive my rudeness for not noticing your friend, Kiku-san." Tamaguchi apologized before bowing to Alfred. Alfred smiled awkwardly, before giving his own short bow.

"Nice to meet you." Alfred said, getting a smile in return. The shopkeeper nodded before excusing himself to the back of the shop.

"He seems nice." Alfred said as they started shopping.

"Tamaguchi-san is very generous." Kiku said softly, remembering how the shopkeeper would allow the siblings to the day old goods before they had started working. Alfred smiled before asking Kiku what he needed to get.

"Rice, miso, salted salmon, various odds and ends…" Kiku said as they found the rice.

After a while, Kiku had finally loaded the basket up with the necessities, the two headed to the counter to get Yong Soo's cigarettes as well as pay for the goods.

"Is there anything else you need, Honda-san?" Tamaguchi asked, leaning on the counter.

"Ah, yes, two packs of Lucky Strikes, if you please." Alfred gave Kiku a puzzled look.

"Miss Kiku, I had no idea you smoked." Kiku blushed, shaking his head.

"Sorry, Alfred-san. The cigarettes are for my sister. I've never tried them before." Alfred chuckled at what Kiku said.

"No worries, Miss Kiku. I sometimes regret trying them, myself." Tamaguchi placed the two packs of cigarettes on the counter while Kiku moved to get out the pouch with the money when Alfred stopped him.

"No, Miss Kiku, let me pay for those." Alfred said, placing the basket on the counter. Kiku blushed at Alfred's offer and shook his head.

"Alfred-san, you really don't have to do that…it is not necessary…." Kiku said, focusing his gaze on the counter. Alfred laughed before pulling out his wallet.

"It's no problem, Miss Kiku. Think of it as a friendly gift." Kiku sighed before giving Alfred a small smile.

"If you insist Alfred-san."

"That will be eighty-six yen, Honda-san." Tamaguchi said after totaling everything. Kiku turned to Alfred and told him the amount.

"No worries, I've got enough to cover it!" Alfred said, leafing through his wallet. His smile turned into frown when he saw that he only had fifty.

"Oh no…" he muttered, embarrassment growing when he saw the questioning look on Kiku's face.

"Alfred-san, is everything okay?" Kiku asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Heh, well it, um, looks like I won't be able to pay…" Alfred said, not meeting Kiku's eyes. Kiku gently touched his arm in reassurance, telling him that it was alright before placing the money on the counter. Tamaguchi smiled as he accepted the money before handing Kiku a reciept.

"Take care, Honda-san. I shall hopefully see you again soon?" Kiku nodded before giving another bow. Alfred gave another awkward smile before picking up the basket of groceries and offering Kiku his arm. Kiku smiled in reassurance before leading him out the door and back onto the street; lucky for them it had briefly stopped raining.

"Erm, I'm really sorry about that Miss Kiku…I thought I had enough to cover it…." Alfred said, still not meeting Kiku's eye. _How humiliating_, he thought bitterly to himself, _couldn't even remember to check to make sure he had enough_!

Kiku thought it cute at how Alfred was acting. _He's so kind,_ Kiku thought to himself, _like Asa-san only…different._

"You're fine, Alfred-san. Really, you didn't have to…" Alfred shook his head vehemently.

"No! At least let me treat you to lunch, please?" Kiku sighed, small smile evident on his lips.

"Alright, Alfred-san. I know of a place that I think you will like."

Fifteen minutes later and Kiku and Alfred were seated at the counter at a noodle shop not far from Kiku's apartment, ready to tuck into the steaming hot bowls of udon. Kiku picked up his chopsticks, muttered _itadakimasu_, and gracefully picked up some noodles while Alfred was struggling to hold the chopsticks right.

"Is everything okay, Alfred-san?" Kiku asked after swallowing his udon. Alfred gave him a reassuring smile before telling him he was fine. Kiku continued to eat as well as watch the sight that was Alfred using chopsticks.

"Uh, you don't think they have any forks, do you?" Alfred asked after a few more unsucessful attempts. Kiku shook his head as he covered his mouth, trying not to let Alfred see him giggling at his predicament.

"I don't understand," he began, stabbing at his food, "how anyone could consider these practical."

"Alfred-san, would you like me to assist you?" Kiku giggled, carefully setting down his chopsticks on the holder. Alfred nodded sheepishly, expecting Kiku to actually show him what to do. He gave a small gasp when he felt Kiku's hands cover his.

Gently, Kiku positioned the chopsticks in the proper place in Alfred's hands. Alfred could feel the heat rising off his face as he tried not concentrate on how soft Kiku's touch was or how much his hands felt like pure silk. Really, the only thought he could focus on was how sweaty his palms were becoming.

"There you go. Just hold them like so and use this one to pick up your food like so." Kiku was saying as his hands slipped away to pick up his own pair, leaving Alfred's hand feeling oddly cold. He watched, fascinated, as Kiku picked up a bit of noodles and elegantly slid them into his mouth, focusing on how the udon slipped past his lips. He couldn't help but find it erotic.

_Gah! Stop focusing on it, dammit! Miss Kiku is your friend! Quit lusting after Arthur's girl!_ Alfred just knew he was turning an obvious shade of red. He quickly began eating his udon, trying not to focus on the odd look that Kiku was giving him.

"Alfred-san…" Kiku was confused. Had he done something wrong when he showed Alfred how to use the chopsticks? He surely hoped he hadn't offended Alfred, that was the last thing Kiku wanted to do.

"I-I didn't offend, did I?" Kiku asked softly, gazing up at the American. Alfred nearly chocked on his food. Kiku silently handed him a cup of water before restating the question.

"No, no, Miss Kiku believe me when I say that you could never offend me. I'm just, uh, really not used to hands-on demonstrations. The military is all about look, don't touch, you know." Alfred lied. Kiku still seemed somewhat unsure but decided to let it go in favor of finishing the udon.

Alfred mentally slapped himself. Trying to be friends with Kiku was proving to be harder than he thought, especially when he _knew_ his feelings were running deeper than friendship. Matthew was right, this was turning into a case of love at first sight. Too bad he couldn't act on it. He and Arthur may not have gotten along, but he would be damned if he would steal another man's girl.

"Alfred-san, is everything alright? You haven't been saying much." Kiku asked, pushing the empty bowl to the side.

"I'm fine, Miss Kiku. Just thinking about some things." Alfred said, patting Kiku's arm.

"Such as?"

"Oh, you know, random thoughts." Alfred lied, pushing the bowel away. He suddenly found that his appetite had disappeared. He smiled before cocking his head toward the door.

"Let's get you home before the rain starts up again. I'd hate for you to get wet." Kiku nodded before allowing himself to be led out the door and into the street.

They arrived at the apartment, Kiku leading them up the rickety stairs and into their unit. Alfred couldn't help but feel just a little privaleged at seeing where Kiku lived, however that feeling was short-lived when he realized that Arthur must have been here a countless number of times. They entered the apartment, Kiku gracefully stepping out of his shoes before nodding at Alfred, indicating that he should do the same.

"You can make yourself comfortable, if you'd like. After I put the groceries up, I can make us some tea." To both of their surprise, Alfred found himself declining.

"I'm sorry Miss Kiku, I would love to but I have to get back to the base. I gotta write up that report, you know?" Kiku nodded in understanding before setting the groceries down and walking over to Alfred.

"Of course, Alfred-san. I would hate to keep you from your duties. Perhaps some other time?" Kiku asked hopefully.

"Yeah! Definitely!" Alfred said, grabbing Kiku's hand to shake it.

"Then it is settled. Thank you so much for the lovely afternoon, Alfred-san." Kiku said, clasping his hand over Alfred's. The American blushed before sputtering that it had been "no problem at all." He quickly brought their hands up and placed a small kiss on Kiku's hand before excusing himself.

"I will see you tonight, Alfred-san?" Kiku asked before Alfred could walk out the door. Alfred flashed him a grin and a thumbs up before leaving quickly.

When Alfred got back outside, he noticed that it was beginning to rain again. Sighing, he opened his umbrella and began the slow trek back to the base, vowing not to let his feelings get in between his friendship with Kiku. It was going to be a hard vow to keep.

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**Please read and review? **


	7. Fate?

**Whoa, it's been a year since I've updated :o. Terribly sorry, life's gotten in the way (yay sophomore year of college!) Now that summer's here, I will put forth an effort to update. Big thanks to all that's kept up with the story!**

**Disclaimer****: I don't own _Hetalia_.**

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Kiku sighed as he carefully applied mascara to his eyelashes; today had been a rather interesting day. He hadn't expected to run into Alfred, especially while doing something so mundane as a shopping trip, though he found it sweet that Alfred would actually want to spend the afternoon with him. The American was certainly growing on him and he hoped that he would be there tonight. He picked up a small container of gloss and applied it, giving his normally thin lips a bit of a shine. He would have to remember to carry extra, in case Arthur decided to kiss him again.

After seeing Alfred off, Kiku had thought long and hard over what he was going to say to the Brit. He didn't want to be too blunt but he did want to get his point across. He wasn't sure how Arthur would take it and Kiku was desperately hoping that he would get his point. The last thing he want to do was offend his friend.

Kiku finished applying his make-up and carefully picked up the combs, fingering them lightly. _Who knew such a small gift would cause so much trouble_, he wondered to himself as he placed them in his hair. Satisfied with his appearance, he left the bedroom to join Yao in the main room. Yao had already gotten dressed, looking the picture of elegance in a simple black cocktail dress and his hair pulled back into a loose bun.

"How was your trip to the store, aru?" Yao asked, patting the spot next to him.

"It went quite well. Tamaguchi-san asked about you." Kiku said, taking the seat. They were waiting for Yong Soo to return from his outing with Eduard so they could all make the trek to the club together.

"That's nice. Did you see anyone else, aru?" Yao asked, inspecting his nails. Kiku looked suspicious; what did it matter who he ran into? Unless…

"Well, I did run into Alfred-san…" Yao looked up from his nails, giving Kiku a smirk.

"I noticed, aru." Kiku stared at him, seriously, did Yao have nothing better to do than comment on his friends? "I left the house pretty much after you did. Alfred is so cute the way he fawns over you, aru! He's like Ivan…"

"Alfred-san is nice…" Kiku said, remembering how nice the afternoon had been.

"And cute, too. He practically follows you around like a puppy, aru." Yao said, giggling. Kiku merely shrugged, he wasn't going to let their teasing get in the way of his friendship with Alfred.

"He is quite attractive…" Kiku was about to elaborate further when the door was suddenly thrust open by a beaming Yong Soo.

"Evening, ladies!" Yao and Kiku murmured their hellos, a bit taken aback by his sudden entrance.

"Good evening, Yong Soo. You're in a good mood tonight, aru." Yao said.

"Yes, well, that happens when you've had a good day." Yong Soo said, heading back towards the bedroom.

"I take it that you had an enjoyable time with Eduard?" Kiku asked, smoothing out the wrinkles in his dress. Yong Soo merely smirked before continuing on, coming back after few minutes with a pale yellow scarf to match his dress.

"What do you need that scarf for, aru? It's not that cold outside, is it aru?" Yao asked, narrowing his eyes.

"What, I can't accessorize with a lovely matching scarf?" Yong Soo shrugged, plopping down next to Kiku.

"Unless you're hiding something, aru…" Yao said, reaching over and tugging at the scarf to reveal Yong Soo's neck, which was littered with hickies.

"Yong Soo!" Yao admonished, slightly scandalized at the sight of Yong Soo's neck.

"Oh come off of it! Eduard and I just had a little fun…" Yong Soo protested, grabbing the scarf from Yao.

"Yong Soo, you really should be careful, aru…" Yong Soo gave another shrug, before turning to Kiku.

"I will, calm down, Yao. Anyway, Kiku, did you get me my Lucky Strikes?"

"I did…Tamaguchi-san asked after you as well, Yong Soo." Kiku said, reaching into his bag and pulling out the cartons and handing them to Yong Soo.

"Thank you. I've been craving these all day." Yong Soo sighed, slipping them into his bag for later. Yao rolled his eyes before motioning for them to leave.

* * *

Kiku was getting a bit antsy, normally Arthur was one of the first people to arrive at the club, but here it was an hour and a half after the opening and no sign of the Brit. On one hand he was a little worried because despite whatever happened between them, he still considered Arthur a very good friend, but at the same time, it gave him a bit more time to think on how he was going to let the man down.

"Hey, Miss Kiku!" Kiku was not going to lie, the sound of Alfred's voice did brighten his spirits a bit, especially when he saw the man make his way across the crowded club.

"Alfred-san, it is good to see you again!" Kiku said, bowing once Alfred got closer. Alfred grinned before pulling out a barstool and offering it to him. Kiku giggled before taking the seat.

"Was Alfred-san able to finish his work for the day? Or will he be leaving early again this evening?" Kiku asked once Alfred got settled.

"Got everything done before I left the office, Miss Kiku. I'll be able to stay by your side all night…" Mentally, Alfred kicked himself. _Damn me and my accidental innuendo!_ Kiku merely giggled and Alfred relaxed a bit.

"That is good to hear, Alfred-san." Alfred grinned before asking how he could go about starting a tab. Tabs were generally seen as a big deal at the club, as it was way for them to earn a pretty decent commission.

"Oh, Alfred-san, you don't have to do that."

"No, I insist! Barkeep-" Wan was over instantly "—I'd like to start a tab. Major Alfred Jones, United States Air Force." Wan nodded as she took down his information.

"And for who would you like it under?" Alfred's smile got bigger as he looked at Kiku.

"Miss Kiku, of course! And I'd like to start it with a bottle of your finest sake and a Yebisu, please!" Wan was smirking at Kiku as she took Alfred's order, no doubt after she filled it that she was going to tell Yao and Yong Soo.

"See Miss Kiku, that wasn't so hard." Alfred said after they had been served. Kiku shook his head before pouring Alfred a cup of sake.

"Where is your friend, Matthew-san?" Kiku asked as Alfred drained the cup.

"He didn't want to come out tonight. Where's Arthur? Is he not coming either?"

"I'm not sure. Normally, he is here by now." Alfred felt slightly guilty, but he was glad that Arthur wasn't coming. More time to spend alone with Kiku.

"What a shame." Alfred lied. "How could anyone stand up a lovely girl such as yourself."

"Its alright, Alfred-san. I am sure Asa-san has work to take care of." Alfred was not the only one that was relieved; Kiku was still unsure of what he was going to say to Arthur about this whole situation. Perhaps one more day would help figure out what to do.

Alfred merely shrugged before pouring sake into Kiku's cup. He accepted it with a nod before pressing the cup to his lips, pretending to take a drink. Kiku was about to refill Alfred's cup when two arms snaked around his waist.

"Hello, _love_." So Arthur did show up. And with such a public way of announcing it, Kiku thought, praying that his brothers weren't watching.

"Asa-san. You have arrived!" Kiku said as Arthur rested his chin on Kiku's shoulder.

"Of coure I did. Got a bit held up, but I'm here. Alfred." Arthur said, acknowledging the other man's presence. Alfred nodded, trying not to let his disappointment show. He silently opened his beer and downed it. It was going to be a long night.

Arthur made himself comfortable on the other side Kiku, one arm never leaving his waist. He ordered a bottle of shouchuu and offered a toast.

"A toast to fate, Kiku." he said, holding up his cup. Alfred and Kiku sported matching looks of confusion.

"Fate, Asa-san?" Kiku asked, raising his cup.

"Never pegged you as someone who believed in fate, Arthur." Alfred said, pouring more sake into his cup. Alfred had a feeling he was going to need another bottle.

"Neither did I, Alfred." Arthur said, clinking his cup against Kiku's.

"What brought about this change, Asa-san?" Arthur smiled before throwing back his drink. He set the cup down before reaching into his uniform jacket and pulling out an envelope.

"Yesterday," He began, opening the envelope and pulling out a letter, "this came in the mail, from England. I was on my way to the club when I opened it." He handed the letter to Kiku. Reading-wise, his English was not that great, but he was able to make out the _Dearest Arthur_ at the top of the letter. Kiku stared quizically at Arthur.

"It's from my fiancee. Well, ex-fiancee. She's moved on. Had moved on. His name is Charlie. He's an accountant." Kiku patted Arthur's hand compassionately.

"Aw, man, I'm sorry Arthur." Alfred said sympathetically. Arthur waved his hand, indicating it was okay.

"It's fine. Great, actually. While I was reading the letter, I happened upon this shop that sold trinkets. You know, jewelery and hair combs. They had a pair of the most beautiful combs I had ever seen," Arthur gently touched the ones adorning Kiku's hair, "and something struck me." Arthur smiled at Kiku before bring his hand down to Kiku's chin, tipping his face up.

"What am I doing, expecting Rosa to wait for me in Surrey. I have a great girl right here. She's moved on and it's time I did too. Have done." And with that, Arthur leaned in and kissed Kiku. It was a slow, sweet kiss, the taste of shouchuu on his lips. Arthur pulled away and looked at Kiku with darkened eyes.

"I'll say it again, Kiku. You are very special to me. Very." Arthur said, grabbing Kiku's hand. Kiku was fighting the urge to blush as he nodded.

"A-and you are special to me as well, Asa-san." Kiku said. _Just not in the same way…_

"I have something else for you, Kiku." Arthur said, reaching into his pocket.

"Oh no, Asa-san has already given me so much!" Kiku protested, shaking his head. He stopped when Arthur held up his dog tags.

"I want you to have these." Arthur said, slipping them over Kiku's head. "Wear them and think of me." Kiku was at a loss for words and would have stayed that way if not for Alfred clearing his throat. Arthur and Kiku looked at him.

"I would like to propose a toast." He said tightly, trying to ignore the pangs in his heart as he raised his cup. Kiku noticed something in his eyes that looked like a mix of jealousy and hurt. He filled the cups belonging to Arthur and him and quietly raised his own.

"To Arthur," Alfred swallowed hard, "and Kiku." They clinked their cups and Kiku paid attention to the all to quick way Alfred downed his cup.

"Thank you Alfred. That means a lot." Arthur said kindly.

"You bet it does." Alfred mumbled, pouring more sake in his cup.


	8. What a Night

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own _Hetalia_**.

* * *

"_Son of a bitch"_ Alfred thought angrily to himself as he made his way back to the base.

"Just my luck!"Alfred spat as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He placed the cigarette between his lips, lit it, and took a long and angry drag. He continued on, hoping the cigarette would calm his need to punch the nearest inanimate object.

He finally made it back to the base (and through an entire half-pack of cigarettes, he would need to make a trip to the canteen tomorrow) without causing any damage. He stomped through his barracks, not caring if he woke anybody with his ruckus. Lucky for him, it appeared he was the only one back. He stripped off his uniform and stuffed it hapharzardly in his trunk, not caring about being neat. He slid into bed, hoping to fall asleep quickly so he wouldn't have to dwell on what had happened.

The next morning, he would deny to himself that he had tears in his eyes when he fell asleep

* * *

It had been quite an evening, Kiku mused to himself as he allowed Arthur to escort him home. They were walking down the narrow street, Arthur holding Kiku's hand while grinning as though he were a child on Christmas morning.

"It has been a wonderful evening, Kiku. Thank you for letting me walk you home." Arthur said.

"It is no problem, Asa-san…" Kiku said, forcing a smile. It was only at Arthur's insistance that he allowed the Brit to accompany home.

"I consider it an honor to be able to spend more time with my girl as well as getting to see where she lives." Kiku swallowed hard.

"The honor is mine," Kiku began coyly, "getting to show Asa-san our apartment." Arthur squeezed Kiku's hand and they continued on in silence.

After a few moments of walking, they finally arrived at the decrepit building that the siblings called home. Kiku was about to thank Arthur for walking him home and that he would see him tomorrow evening, but that plan was ruined when Arthur opened the door and walked inside. Kiku's heart sank, Arthur intended to walk him all the way home. Sighing, Kiku led Arthur up the creaky stairs to the small apartment.

"I offer Asa-san my apologies, our apartment is no shape for visitors…" Kiku murmured, hoping Arthur would take the hint.

"Nonsense. Believe me Kiku, it cannot be as bad as the base." No such luck. Kiku suddenly wished he were like Yong Soo, who would have no problem telling someone to get lost.

"Oh but Asa-san!" Kiku hoped this would work. "I would hate for you to think badly of my housekeeping skills! Please, let me show you another time. And Yong Soo and Yao will be home soon. I would hate for them to…ah…interrupt the tour~"

"I suppose you have a point, love." Arthur conceded, patting Kiku's arm. Kiku sighed in relief.

"Well, its time for me to head back to the base. Until tomorrow evening?" Arthur said, smiling.

"Until tomorrow, Asa-san." Kiku said, forcing a smile.

"G'night, love." Arthur said, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Good night."

* * *

Uh, yeah, sorry about the delay! And the shortness of this chapter, too. Consider this an "early Christmas/thanks for keeping up with this" present!


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